I've been shooting trap for about 6 months and had developed an average 80/100 with steady improvement. Even shot my first 25 a month ago. The following week started derailment that continues. Last week I was dropping 6 - 8 a round? It stinks. What gives?

Almost impossible to diagnose what you are doing with out seeing you do it but..... alot of new to the game shooters tend to start shooting the shotgun as if it were a rifle where they aim the shot. This has a lot of bad consequences like stopping the gun just before the trigger is pulled or just plain not seeing the target.

Obviously the what ever you are doing it is the wrong thing so you need to quit practicing the wrong stuff if you want the scores to improve. A professional coach will be able put you on the right track fairly quickly.

My first suggestion would be to put the wood on the wood. I am a long way from being a professional but I have seen it over and over where people will lift their head to see the bird break. Another problem might be that you are stopping instead of follow through. Remember to hold your gun tight and keep the barrel moving. This is the voice of experience. LOL Jackie B.

It would be ideal to buy a trap grade 34" brl gun. But in these times I don't know if that's an option for you.
Where do you hold the gun before you call for the target? If you hold high (above the house), try dropping down to the house. This may allow you to see the target better as it comes out. Track the target and shoot as soon as you get close. Don't aim, this will cause you to wait too long before pulling the trigger. The bird will already be over it's peak and you will shoot over it. And, listen to "Shooting Jack", STAY ON THE GUN and KEEP THE GUN MOVING.

Need2Know...welcome to trapshooting. I'm sure the 25 straight gives you a taste of what it can be, and what you can do. I wish you continued success.

While it is possible to shoot a field or sporting clays gun well in trapshooting, it's tough to be consistant. (It's a matter of keeping your head on the stock, and not moving the gun untill you see the bird). If you want to stay with that gun, companies like Gander Mountain, or other dedicated shotgun sports buisnesses can morph your present stock into a fully adjustable stock. Getting an actual "Trap" gun is good, but it's usually the adjustable stock that will give you the best results. Your style will change (improve).

If your willing to try something, that may, or may not turn on a light for you...try a couple of rounds with shells that you think are probably way too light to break ANY targets. As long as they go bang from the 16 yard line. (This would probably be a reloaded shell as the promo shells at 3 dram are, well...not so good from the 16 yard line for learning).

Clearly I've got some things to address. First order of business to address this eye situation. After reading your thoughts and really thinking about some easy shots I missed, I realized that I would do some weird barrel movements as I swung through to shoot the target. So now I feel like maybe my left eye was taking over?

Barry is likely on target for you. But to you guys that tell him to "keep the gun moving" in order to "follow thru", would you tell him to keept the gun moving upward on a strate away as a proper way to "follow thru"?

Listen you "follow thru" guys... Most top teachers, shooters, clinicians, will tel you to shoot the bird as you move thru it, but be putting the brakes on the gun at the same time. As yo move to the bird the bird is going at X speed and the bbl at at least 2X. Therefore you have to slow it down when you get to the bird. The exception to all this is the shooter that takes the time to slow the bbl and establish a "sustained lead". Either way making th gun continue to move after the gun goes off is wasted motion. Adn it is always recommended that you keep the bbl "in the chips" or "in the dust".

But I satnd on Barry's analysis. Get a comb adjustment in order that you can set up the same each shot.

When I got started I jumped to the targets and would basically spot shoot rather than swinging to the target. It happened to me as I got faster seeing the target clearly. I had to put a weight on the barrel of my gun to fix my jumping and it also taught me a great long follow through. I now shoot real quick because I trained myself to shoot that way with the big muzzle heavy gun but have a great follow through.

May not be your problem but if you have someone watch your barrel they may be able to see you jump.

If you were to graph someone's shooting progress, in any shotgun game, it is not generally going to be a steady improvement. It is more like a very jagged line going up and down, sometimes steeply either way. Hopefully over time it does trend upward. I prefer to shoot through my slumps without coaching but it might help you to have someone that knows what they are doing watch you shoot. I am coming off a slump right now after experimenting with different methods of shooting in sporting clays. I have a new confidence from my last two tournaments and my graph is headed steeply up for now.